Take it Easy
by emotionless-robot
Summary: Collection of drabbles... sporadically updated. Up now: In The End - In the end, Near finally died a peaceful death.
1. Chocolate Sickness

This is my first Death Note fanfic, and it's basically just going to be a whole bunch of random one-shots jumbled up together. I know the theme for this particular one-shot is probably over-used, and you've all read it before, but I've got some other ones (that are a bit more original) already done up, so those'll be posted soon enough. And I am still looking for a beta reader, which I hope to find ASAP, so future chapters will hopefully be WAY better XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Mello dumped his collection on the table, and reached for a chocolate bar with relish.

It was Halloween night, and the orphans from Wammy's had just gotten back from Trick-or-Treating on the cold, October night. Some were pawing through their pile of goodies with wide eyes, others were stashing it all away for later, and some were ingesting it with fervor.

Mello fell into the latter category.

Matt watched his best friend practically inhale the sweets in haste, as if he couldn't get enough.

"Slow down there, Mello. Don't want you to get sick."

"S'okay, Matt. I won' get sick from _chocolate_." Mello said reverently between bites.

Four and a half hours later, bent over the toilet, Mello discovered that it was possible for even geniuses to be wrong.


	2. Birthday cake

Here's the second one!!! A BIG thanks to my new beta, _Hearii, _without whom this one-shot would not be as good as it is XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Near."

The white-haired genius looked up from his complex puzzle at the sound of Matt's voice before looking back down much more quickly.

"… Oh, yes," he mumbled. "I suppose it is my birthday. I had almost forgotten." The birthday boy slid another piece of the jigsaw into its appropriate slot.

"No, you didn't. You're just saying that, aren't you?" Matt scoffed, looking doubtful.

He received no reply.

"Anyways, I just wanted to bring you some cake. I made it myself, and although Mello says it tastes like crap, I think it tastes okay. I figured I'd better give you a piece before L discovers it and all of it 'conveniently' goes missing."

Near stared at the piece he was being offered. "I don't like cake," he informed, sorting through the pieces scattered around his legs.

Matt chuckled. "I know," he replied, "But this is strawberry shortcake, which I know you don't mind." Near scrutinized the piece of gooey dessert that Matt placed on the completed part of the puzzle in front of him.

Matt added as an afterthought, "_And_ it's organic." That magic word caught Near's attention, and he regarded the slice of cake with a new light. "Besides, it's your birthday, isn't it?"

"Yes," Near admitted reluctantly, reaching for the cake. "Yes, it is."


	3. Homecoming

Another big thanks to my incredible beta reader, _Hearii_, for making this chapter absolutely spiffy!! XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The sleek, black limousine glided to a halt in front of the aged building. It was late in the afternoon, not yet time for dinner, but the sun was already drifting downwards, leaving trails of pink and orange behind it.

A young man exited the vehicle, mumbling to himself about the lack of sugary edibles available on airplanes. Thumb stuck in between his lips in irritation, he slouched over and wiggled his toes in his uncomfortable shoes.

His head lifted at the sound of joyful laughter coming from somewhere not too far off. A small child, no older than nine, came barrelling out from around the side of the edifice, followed swiftly by another. The second boy was somewhat taller, and had a pair of goggles strapped to his neck.

"Gimme back my Game Boy, Mello!" the angry chaser insisted.

"Not a chance, Matt! You'll have to catch me first!" Mello said back gleefully. Promptly and unluckily, the blond tripped over his own two feet and face-planted into the muddy grass beneath him. The Game Boy he had waved around teasingly moments ago skidded across the dirt, and out of reach.

"Aha! Gotcha!" Matt declared, victorious.

They wrestled in the dirt, bickering and laughing, watched by an amused audience.

L. Lawliet was definitely home.


	4. Fire Drill

Here you have it... once again, a HUGE round of applause for my beta, _Hearii_, for doing such a wonderful job XD

You rock.

* * *

Like every other building in the area, Wammy's was fully equipped with all the necessary emergency fire fighting tools. In every hallway an alarm, armed to detect the faintest trace of smoke in the air, hung on the ceiling. To compliment these smoke detectors, fire extinguishers were propped up on walls and filled with foam that would quench any raging inferno immediately.

Mello had a plan. That plan involved the assistance of Matt, the ability to sneak around undetected--while trying not to snicker deviously, and to not attract the attention of others.

_So far, so good._ He had promised Matt he would help him win some two-player game later, if he helped Mello accomplish his task in return. Matt was now stationed at the end of the hall, like a bodyguard, prepared to do his assigned duty.

Mello checked to see if the coast was clear, and then gave the signal. Matt gave his own quick glance around, before yanking down the pull on the fire alarm, and sprinting off wildly to avoid getting caught.

Mello lounged against the wall, across from the playroom, and he smirked at his triumph. Any second now, Near would come out those doors, soaking wet, and Mello would be there to see it.

As predicted, the young genius exited the playroom, clutching a small Transformers robot under his arm and twirling his sodden hair. His white clothes stuck to him and Mello grinned at the sight of his rival's see-through, damp clothing.

_If only he had a camera._

Near looked around, locking eyes with Mello for a moment before calmly following the rest of the panicked children in the fire drill exit plan.

Roger then came barreling down the hallway, making sure every room was empty, not wanting to be responsible for some kid burning to death and he ushered Mello out of the hallway quickly to avoid such a tragedy. Mello followed Near silently, chuckling at his self-proclaimed victory.


	5. Breakfast Alternatives

The idea for this one was conceived when I asked my awesome beta, _Hearii_, to give me a random word and the name of one of the characters. She chose Matt, and cereal. So that's what I went with.

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Near liked oatmeal—the bland kind, to be exact—whereas Mello enjoyed gorging himself with brands of cereal that contained enormous amounts of chocolate-induced goodness. Likewise, L had a fetish for sugar-coated flakes that were smothered in heaping quantities of one percent whipped-cream and often topped with a single red strawberry.

But Matt was different.

He liked switching it up every now and again; eggs one day, maybe some pancakes another… it just depended on what he felt like at the time.

But that was apparently not the case today. Because today, the fridge was empty and the cupboards were bare meaning that there wasn't a single breakfast food to be found that wasn't stupid cereals and oatmeal packages. Matt couldn't help but get the bitter feeling that the world was out to get him.

Since he couldn't just go without breakfast for an entire day (it was the most important meal, after all), and there wasn't a restaurant close enough for him to visit, Matt was forced to make do with what he had available to him.

He boiled some water and poured the two different kinds of cereal brands into two separate bowls, drowning them in some milk. As an afterthought he grabbed a glass of orange juice—what he dubbed the only sane part of this meal. Sitting at the table, with three different bowls in front of him, two filled with a chilly white liquid and cereal products and the other steaming hot, Matt set to work.

First, since Mello was his best friend, he tried the chocolaty one. He spat it out immediately, not wanting to waste another second of his life trying to chew that sickening mush. It was utterly disgusting to feel the artificial flavouring grind over his un-brushed teeth, and he vowed to _never_ eat Mello's cereal again.

Moving onwards, he attempted a bite of L's sugary mess, and was surprised to find that it wasn't that bad, once you got past the whole "Jesus-Christ-my-taste-buds-haven't-tasted-anything-this-sweet-_ever_" part of the bite. After a while though, he felt like he had eaten seven bags of cotton candy (not recommended before going on any type of fair ride), and conclusively pushed the second bowl away.

_Last one._

Near's bland and tasteless oatmeal stared up at Matt innocently, and he glared back, not sure if it was safe to eat. Cautiously, Matt took a spoonful and put it in his mouth gently, as if that would prevent any harm from befalling him. The plain substance tasted like cardboard, Matt decided, as his processed the flavour. A plain and insipid cardboard taste coated his tongue copiously. Matt threw down his spoon, disgusted with the peculiar likes of the most intelligent inhabitants of this establishment.

Aghast, Matt walked out of the kitchen. He thought to himself sullenly, _Screw this… who needs breakfast anyways?_


	6. Lick

A bit of a late update, but what can you do? A big thanks, once again, to my beta, _Hearii_, for going over this even though it was pretty rough to look at... but thankfully it's all better now, so don't worry XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

"Matt…" Mello said threateningly, his eyes narrowing at his friend. "Where'd all my chocolate go?"

Matt sighed wearily, mashing the buttons on his gaming station and replied, "Mello, you idiot, you ate it all. I swear, sometimes I get the feeling you'd do anything to eat some of that shit."

"That's because I would." Mello responded astutely, venturing off into the halls of Wammy's and leaving Matt to his thoughts.

In truth, Matt was almost positive there was one bar left in the room. It was squished between the side of Mello's bed and the wall, where his choco-radar couldn't detect it. Meanwhile, Matt, who wasn't even on the lookout for any candy whatsoever, just happened to notice the corner of the chocolate bar's wrapper peeking out from the edge of the bed a few nights ago. He idly speculated the chances of it being there still as his eyes strained to check.

Sure enough, the bar was still there and hiding from the world. Matt glanced inquisitively at it, wondering exactly how far Mello was willing to go…

Approximately half an hour later, Matt strolled back into his shared room, glancing nonchalantly around to the wall beside the rickety dresser. Disturbingly enough, it had a distinct sheen to it that the rest of the room did not, and Matt whipped his head around to examine Mello. The other boy was studying intensely on his bed and paid no heed to Matt's penetrating stare.

Matt advanced to the gleaming patch of wall and wiped his finger down it quickly, noticing the moisture his digit collected. He delicately sniffed it but drew back, revolted, and hurriedly smeared the moisture on his pants.

"That's definitely your spit alright." Matt commented, still disgusted.

"I don't even want to know how you knew what my _spit_ smelt like, Matt. It's somewhat disconcerting."

Matt scoffed and retorted condescendingly, "I just can't believe you actually licked the chocolate off the wall."


	7. Midnight Snack

... so, it's been a while... the next one _should_ be out a bit quicker XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Light felt a sharp tug at from the other end of the chain that tied him to L. He grunted and tugged back, hoping that would stop L from shifting around again. Unfortunately, the tugging only increased, and Light was forced to peer out of one eye to see what the problem was.

He'd never actually seen L sleep--this was one of the few nights the detective had actually settled down enough to drag his eyes away from his work--and Light couldn't say that he enjoyed it very much. L wriggled and moved about restlessly throughout the night. It was nearing three in the morning, and Light could definitely say that he had no incentive to sleep—or at least try to sleep—next to L ever again.

Light scowled as the tugging increased, and abruptly, he was yanked out of the bed with sheets tangled in his legs.

Letting out a shriek of indignation, Light whirled around to witness L sleepwalking out of the room, unaware of the sleepy human being attached to him. The chain clinked as Light was led down the stairs and into the kitchen, where L promptly reached for the cake sitting in the fridge.

Light stared in amazement as L ate the dessert, one spoonful at a time. Even _asleep_, the detective craved sweets. He huffed and tried to wait for L to finish, but goddamn, he had been sleeping! Glancing guiltily at L, Light ensured himself that he'd be in bed soon enough.

The next morning, L blinked owlishly at Light and asked incredulously, "Why on earth is there frosting on your face?"


	8. Late Night Walks

Just a little short one this time... thanks again to my beta, _Hearii_, for looking this over!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

The tiny boy appeared at the top of the staircase, teddy bear clutched tightly at his side. He yawned widely as he trudged down each step heavily, stumbling occasionally, before reaching the end and glancing around the poorly-lit first floor. No one seemed to be awake; the boy frowned slightly. He peered briefly into the living room, where his parents ought to have been, but no one was there to greet him.

Regardless, the small boy ventured into the kitchen to fetch some water for his thirsty throat. The cooling liquid eased the irritating ache, calming him slightly from the agitation of the momentary disappearance of his family. Little L Lawliet, still tripping over his own two feet in his attempt to conquer the staircase, tip-toed back into the room where his snugly-warm bed awaited him; having not noticed the dying figures of his parents sprawled across the carpeted living room floor.


	9. Yoga

I probably won't be able to update for a while (surprise?) 'cause of exams... Big thanks to _Hearii_ for beta-ing once more XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

If Mello could, he would run all the way back to his room, grab his gun, and shoot this prick in the face.

Unfortunately, such a task was utterly impossible when one was bending down as far as they could, trying in vain to touch his toes.

Mello growled, unhappy with the predicament he was stuck in. Roger—being the nice man that he was—decided to enroll the older generation of Wammy kids in different fitness classes to encourage some sort of physical activity in their otherwise inactive lives. After watching the prodigies sit at computer desks for hours at a time or hole themselves up in the library for days on end, Roger decided it was an excellent idea to force them to use their long-forgotten muscles and do some invigorating and strenuous exercise.

What a bloody moron.

Not only was Mello's ass going to be sore in the morning, but he also had to suffer the humiliation of being dressed in a ridiculously tight and stretchy outfit... the only upside was that his ass was going to look _hot_ after this was all over.

* * *


	10. Groceries

Here you are... the next installment. Hope you like it XD

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

Watari perused the aisles of delicacies, examining each one for freshness, originality, and attractiveness. These cakes and pastries needed to be the best, for they would help fuel the mind of the most brilliant detective in the world; L. The young boy he had taken in so long ago had grown up to be an independent and hardworking man that Watari couldn't help but be proud of. A small smile crept up on his face as he selected a strawberry cheesecake for purchase.

Behind him, a young girl with pigtails and her mother were also in the process of selecting an item from the bakery department.

The little girl turned to her mother and asked, "Mommy, can we buy as many cakes as that old man?"

The woman laughed and patted her daughter's head, saying, "No, sweetie. We can't buy that many cakes… maybe one day though, okay?"

The girl nodded sadly, glancing longingly at the many types of sweetness denied to her.

Watari couldn't help but silently chuckle at her expression--it was one he'd seen far too many times before...


	11. In The End

And so, after a rather long wait, I bring you the final chapter. I'm glad I did these drabbles, and I hope you all enjoyed them as well!

Disclaimer on profile.

* * *

In the end, Near finally died a peaceful death.

Peaceful in the way that there were no interruptions—_everyone else was gone, weren't they?_—and he had finally, at long last, been able to come to terms with the emotions he felt regarding his death.

By society's standards, he was far too young to be giving up on life, but to Near, the years were decades and the decades were eternities. He didn't know how long it had been since he'd last seen the light of day or hell, _even another human being._ His only companions were worn-down finger puppets that had lost their use quite a while ago, back when they'd fought against Kira. The stacks of cards, the toy trains… they held no peace for Near. His puppets were all he had left of those who'd left him behind; left him to deal with this rotting world and these people rotting along with the world who'd forgotten that he had ever existed in the first place. There was no room for him here now—_had there ever been?_—and Near was not inclined to stay anyways.

In the end, he just couldn't hang on to memories any longer—_he had to see them again, just once more…_--and so, on the day Near died, he finally returned home, where he knew he belonged.


End file.
